Feb 21

FRINGE 2020: Cassie & The Lights – 4K – RCC Fringe

Patch of Blue Theatre is no stranger to the Adelaide Fringe, returning to RCC after their previous hit, We Live By The Sea. Writing theatre that is about those doing it tough, those with that little extra challenge, or developing understanding of others’ situations seems to be Patch of Blue’s strength, because Cassie & The Lights is a beautiful follow-up to their previous outing.

Cassie is looking after her younger sisters Tin and Kit after their mother fails to return when she goes off to buy them slushies at the local bowling alley. This isn’t anything new, but for the first time Cassie is unable to find her mother and drag her back. A loving and selfless by impoverished woman, Cassie attempts to care for her sisters herself in anticipation of her mother’s return. After a stint where Cassie attempts to make ends meet, the girls end up in foster care with a loving couple. As she attempts to win custody of the girls, Cassie starts to wonder if she’s really doing what’s right for her sisters, or herself.

Patch of Blue have created yet another beautiful piece of theatre. Cassie & The Lights is charming, clever, and heartwarming. The use of clever set pieces and live music works well, and when the cast break the fourth wall it keeps you grounded and centred in the room. Each of the actors do a fantastic job, bringing life and a sense of realism to their characters and their stories. A bout of audience participation in the middle of the show went on a touch too long, slowing the pace of the show, and it does break up the momentum that the show is building throughout its 70-minute run. However, the show is an engaging, touching piece of work that lives up to Patch of Blue’s excellent reputation.

Kryztoff Rating: 4K

Feb 20

Fringe 2020 – Circus and Physical Theatre – The Black Blues Brothers – Cornucopia at Gluttony – 3.5K

Rectangle 14 black blues brothers drums 1 1200x600

By Ben Watson

Acrobatically brilliant, theatrically poor. This show will provide entertainment, their airborne potential is magnificent. Whilst jumping, flipping and tumbling they will also attempt many scenes of comedy, often missing the mark. An adolescent crowd can accept this level of clunky mime-orientated humour however anyone looking for a fair dinkum comedy should most definitely look elsewhere.

The daredevil crew save their vocal chords the hassle, allowing all other aspects of performance to do the real talking. ‘How on earth did they do that?’ – a recurring thought.  An amazing aspect of this show involves various human sculptures, expertly erected on the stage as if tanned chiselled bodies were going out of fashion. The Black Blues Brothers offer a superb display of raw strength and gymnastic prowess. As an average observer, the acrobatic routines from the five-man African team are unbelievable.

The overall performance lacks structure, however this does not really matter as the group rapidly rotates around the stage, perpetually diverting the audience’s attention. Several chairs amongst other props participate throughout the athletic display, you will question how these men perform hundreds of shows avoiding injury.

Any member of the family can enjoy this one; the youngsters will admire astonishing flips whilst the oldies comprehend a world where one-handed push-ups earns you a cheap laugh.

Kryztoff Rating 3.5K

Feb 20

FRINGE 2020 – Frankenstein: How to Make a Monster – 5K – RCC Fringe

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein gets a make-over complete with soaring vocals, a 21st century twist, and the UK’s best beat-boxer to boot. The show poses the question: who are the monsters in this world, and who’s (or what’s) to blame for their creation?

The talented BAC Beatbox Academy from London have brought their fantastic show to the Adelaide Fringe, and what an impression they make. From the second this talented group steps onto the stage, they mesmerise with their unbelievable vocals – and I mean unbelievable. The show starts with a disclaimer that everything we were to hear during the 70 minute show was live, and if they hadn’t kicked off the show with that, I’d have been convinced much of the show was on a backing track.

When it comes down to it, the decision to give this show five stars is because this reviewer genuinely couldn’t find a single fault in this show. It’s engaging, fun, poignant, topical, and so polished. This is a group that knows what they’re doing, does it well, and knows it’s doing it well. That kind of confidence is palpable and infectious, and almost the entire crowd was swept up in the energy that BAC bring to the stage.

A literary classic meets modern music-making in this five star show.

Kryztoff Rating: 5K

Feb 19

LEHMO – Younger than Brad Pitt – Rhino Room – 4K

By Peter Maddern

Anthony Lehman deserves a lot of credit for making the most of his career in comedy. After eschewing a career as an accountant and, more than 25 years ago, leaving Adelaide for Melbourne, Lehmo has carved out a career as a comedian, radio show host and TV personality.

He’s 50 now, a revelation or confession around which his new show pivots, the most important aspect of that age being that he is younger than Brad Pitt and so he can still aspire to look as good as he did in that debacle Once Upon A Time In Hollywood once he reaches that star’s current age.

Given the list of physical and mental defects that he spoke of that now maladies his life, his show also gave hope to those even older than Mr Pitt that things aren’t as bad as we thought.

This is a terrific show bringing to the fore all his comedic insights, warmth and charms as he gently sips away an imported beer on stage. Unlike many of his rivals who clean up in this town at this time of year, he is a genuinely funny man who does not resort to base attempts at humour when they seem to run out of material, and his time with serving troops in the Middle East speak to his level ego and world perspective.

Just why such a performer can only generate a crowd of 35 at the start of his five night home-town season is quite beyond me. Lehmo is great; great fun and a great guy.

Kryztoff Rating 4K

Feb 18

FRINGE 2020: Promise & Promiscuity – 4K – Gluttony Masonic

New Zealand actress, singer, and writer Penny Ashton is no stranger to Adelaide after previous Fringe and Adelaide Cabaret Festival seasons with this show, Promise & Promiscuity. Sometimes repeat seasons can be a hinderance, but in Ashton’s case what she’s left with is a polished, professional, and engaging show.

A retelling, mash-up, and homage all at once, Promise & Promiscuity sees closeted writer Elspeth Slowtree battle against patriarchy, scheming upper-class families, unappealing romantic advances, and her mother’s nerves as she attempts to make her own way in the world. Writing stories under the pseudonym Wilbur Smith, Elspeth wants nothing more than to sit at her desk in peace, write stories that will last 200 years, and have them published under her own name. However, Elspeth soon finds out that she’s just as susceptible to love’s charms as the next woman when the dashing Reginald and the stoic Digby make their way into the lives of the Slowtree family.

Ashton is an absolute consummate professional. In this session, she dealt with outside noise and audience mishaps without skipping a beat. Her voice was incredible, her jokes constant and entertaining, and her monologues beyond impressive. This is certainly a show for the Austen fans out there, and Ashton’s easter eggs that are hidden throughout the show will keep you guessing on exactly which of Austen’s novels she is drawing inspiration from next.

A few slower bits involving Tomasina, another woman after Reginald’s hand in marriage, and cousin Horatio slowed the momentum down a bit – the show is at its strongest when it’s focussed on the glittering Elspeth. However, for a solid, impressive hour of (Austen-inspired) theatre and comedy Promise & Promiscuity is a go-to this Fringe.

Kryztoff Rating: 4K

Feb 18

Fringe 2020 – Amanda Palmer: There Will Be No Intermission – 5K

by Riccardo Barone

“I am an Artist, let me do my job!”
How high is the price a songwriter, a poet, must pay to deeply dive into sensitive subjects like abortion? Polemics are surely around the corner, undoubtedly! This happens when the sublimation of a tragedy through humor is misinterpreted and condemned by articles and reviews, becoming a main scandalous object. Everyone has an opinion; but what happens when an International Artist publicly exposes its believes? Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscars speech is a valid example of mixing career and personal opinions. The audience looses focus on the Artist’s product and starts to pick on the persona and its personal views. Personal life experiences, and so on personal views, are told through lyrics, songs, poems, plays, paintings, and whatever available tool.
Amanda jumps on the front row seating, with her “stupid ukulele” (as she calls it), loudly and majestically introducing the show. That same ukulele she had when she composed “Bigger on the inside”, really moving performance of this one.
Her voice is deep and moving, theatrical, storytelling. Her piano skills are brilliant. Solid are her musical roots with The Cure, which she reminded us about her first approach with them when she was a teenager full of inspirational music practicing her piano.
The ticket price was very cheap, considering she’s traveling from USA and the performance exceeding 3 hours. The audience was exhilarated, totally in sync with her brilliant energy, there were no seats left!

Kryztoff rating: 5k

Feb 18

Fringe Theatre – No.33 – nthspace Gallery – 3.5K

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Belle Dunning

No.33 is an interactive and immersive theatre and multimedia experience that explores a family’s experience of mental health through several generations of women. 

Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the Garden, Gluttony and RCC, No.33 is showing in a small, quiet gallery space in the west end. Upon entering you are asked to remove your shoes and invited to write a note to a strong woman in your life to leave at the entrance. This sets the scene for the self-reflection and observation that is to follow. Through film, live acting and interaction with the set around you, a story about a family of women and their experiences slowly unfolds.

Produced and directed by Brigitte Jarvis and Ru Atma of RAWcollective in collaboration with a number of artists, No.33 is creative, confronting and unexpected. The timeline and relationships between characters did get a little confusing throughout the performance and I left without a clear idea of what the show was trying to convey. But on reflection, I think the point was simply to share those women’s stories, those moments in time and personal experiences, and to let the viewer make of it what they will.

No.33 is a unique cross-artform experience that embodies the essence of Adelaide Fringe – creativity and experimentation outside the boundaries of ordinary theatre. It is showing for the rest of this week, with lunchtime and evening shows most days.

Kryztoff Rating 3.5K

Feb 16

Fringe 2020 – Physical Theatre and Comedy – Le Petit Circus – Ukiyo at Gluttony – 3.5K

Physical theatre and comedy never fails to delight my young children, and Highwire Entertainment’s latest offering of ‘Le Petit Circus’ was no exception.

Ensconced in the intimate surroundings of the Ukiyo tent, the cleverly designed performance centred around the theme of a manic French restaurant, complete with crazy spinning plates, a Manuel-esque waiter who was much more at home playing his ukulele in all manner of strange positions, and (somewhat randomly but no less thrillingly) a disco ball in a soup pot.

Although the performance at times seemed a little unpolished and potentially under-rehearsed, it must be acknowledged that the Fringe has only just started (and this is only the second performance of this iteration of Le Petit Circus).

Importantly, what Le Petit Circus lacked in finesse it certainly made up for in charm. And, based on the enthralled eyes of my two mini reviewers (who then attempted to cartwheel half the way home), it was certainly a hit with its target audience – young kids.

Definitely recommended for those with kids in the 2 – 8 year age bracket.

3.5K

#Fringe2020
#circus
#Gluttony
#Ukiyo
#kids

Feb 16

Fringe Circus & Physical Theatre – Barbaroi – Ukiyo at Gluttony – 3K

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Belle Dunning

AfterDark Theatre’s production of ‘Barbaroi’ is a solid performance that showcases a range of physical theatre acts in a fun and intimate setting. 

Although it followed the standard circus format, with different acts showing off the skills of each of the cast members, as a small show it has that feeling of a being a little more real, with the performers right up close to you. The cast had genuine talent and the show played with some novel ideas in its use of props, including the suspended straps shown on the promotional poster and backlight perspex stands. 

It still feels like a new show and seems to be finding its feet, with the interludes between acts a little over-dramatised and some of the acts not yet cleanly executed. Not that this seemed to affect the audience, who were right behind the performers and cheered them on when they tried again and succeeded at a stunt! For me, it didn’t live up to the reviews posted on the website that described it is a ‘daring and exhilarating’ show (or the description as a cabaret), but it’s still good, solid physical theatre.

Barbaroi is an enjoyable and affordable night out for circus-lovers, and is showing almost every night for the rest of the Fringe.

Kryztoff Rating 3K

Feb 16

Fringe Music: California Crooners – Gluttony Masonic Lodge – Great Hall 3 1/2 K

By Fiona Talbot – Leigh

Adelaide’s own Hugh Sheridan returns once more to this year’s fringe festival in his previously sold out show California Crooners Club. He debuted the show here during the 2016 Adelaide Fringe and since then, audiences just can’t get enough of him.

Thrust into the TV spotlight in 2008 in his role as Ben Rafter in ‘Packed to the Rafters’ it would be Sheridan’s Jazz heritage which would always remain his calling. Fortunately he ignored the powers that be at Sony who once told him; “you are a young boy, nobody wants to hear you sing jazz, you’ve got to do pop.”

Sheridan’s idea to combine rap and jazz was the seed from which the California Crooners sprouted from. Based on the original ensemble of the Buena Vista Social Club, Sheridan invites others to be a part of his club, never asking for a lifetime commitment, so artists come and go. With his natural charm however and easy going nature, Sheridan is never short of attracting a variety of professional singers who all wish to work alongside him.

This Fringe, Sheridan is joined by LA based Emile Welman and Gabe Roland. He premiered this show with them both 5 years ago and so the evening had that feel of old friends once again united. Together, these three young men gave the best of themselves from start to finish. Starting off by weaving through the audience singing ‘The Lady is a Tramp’ the guys were lucky to make it to the stage such was their appeal to many middle-aged women there who were paying them a return visit.

Sheridan, Welman and Roland’s voices all blended beautifully together. Their harmonies were rich and full and really came to par when they performed two of their original songs, both having a real 50’s feel. Their compositions and renditions of latest hits were also very well received. These Crooners are true entertainers whose passion for their art shone through. They were backed by a wonderful six piece band made up of all Adelaide musicians who have been with Sheridan for each performance from the start; the brass section in particular being a stand out.

Unfortunately the band and crooners weren’t mixed very well on opening night. Base was too loud which tended to drown out the singers in the big numbers and even during the ballads the sound quality wasn’t the best which was a shame as the diction throughout was perfect.

Sheridan is a born performer and all round nice guy and his patter between songs was very natural and heartfelt. Throughout the performance the energy of the three crooners never waned and reached a crescendo at the end when the scene changed into a full on dance party. With most of the audience on it’s feet, it’s fair to say that the California Crooners achieved what they set out to do which was to simply get out on stage, entertain and create a fun night for all.

Kryztoff Rating 3 1/2 K